Introspective Reading
by scaperpeck2186
Summary: Astronema gets her hands on Cassie's diary and uses it against the pink ranger in a very demented way. AU
1. Default Chapter

Introspective Reading   pt.1

Summary: Astronema gets her hands on an enchanted copy of Cassie's diary and uses the private thoughts to destroy the pink ranger.

Rating: I suck at assigning ratings to things.  To be safe, I'll say PG13.  If it gets any higher, which one or two chapters might, I'll give advanced warning.

Cassie/TJ, possibly Cassie/Andros

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Chapter 1 – Hidden Desires

            It was a beautiful Saturday in Angel Grove and as Cassie Chan walked through the city park, she couldn't help but admire the scenery.  It was comfortably cool, which was to be expected for an early May afternoon.  It had been awhile since Cassie had felt so relaxed.  School was finally settling down after 3 long quarters of pouring over books and stressing over tests.  It was senior year, which meant that the fourth quarter was going to be the easiest one she ever had.  Also, Astronema seemed to be in between PMS', which meant that a certain group of teens could finally take a break and relax for a few rare quiet days.  About 2 weeks ago, Astronema had come after the power rangers with everything she had but had yet again failed.  Of course, failing to conquer the world paled in comparison to the fury of Mrs. Applebee when the rangers who attended Angel Grove High School failed their English exam that week.  That had been a very bad week.  Andros had to spend an extra hour or two convincing his Earthling comrades that keeping their identity a secret was, indeed, a good thing, despite what a pain in the arse-end it could be.

            As Cassie sighed and leaned her back against a weeping willow tree that rested on a hill overlooking the lake, she pushed all thoughts of Astronema and monsters to the back of her mind.  Now was the time to focus on why she and her friends went through hell almost every week.  Her eyes panned over the lake and the children playing in the nearby park.  She slid slowly down the trunk of the tree, being careful not to get scraped or put a hole in her new pink zip-up sweater.  Her pink messenger bag rested beside her and she tilted her head back against the trunk, looking up into the graceful, sweeping branches.  She felt herself dozing off, almost hypnotized by the gentle swinging of the branches being blown by the light breeze.  Cassie quick caught herself;  she didn't want to get sidetracked from what she had come up here to do. 

            The pretty Korean girl opened up her messenger bag and pulled out a medium-sized diary, which was decorated with pink lace and colored jewels.  She opened it to the next clean page and looked around her to make sure no one was watching, as if a person could actually read what was written in the small book from a greater distance than right over her shoulder.  Still she had to be cautious; she had a few secrets in written among the pages that would do best to never be repeated out loud.  She reached into the depths of the bag again and, after searching for a minute or two, closed her fingers around a pen.  Cassie always preferred to come up to the old willow tree to write in her diary because it was where she felt the most clarity in her mind.  Her entries tended to be longer when she wrote them here.  If it weren't for Mother Nature's strict "lights out" schedule, she could probably sit for hours upon hours simply writing down everything that crossed her mind.  Especially for someone with as many responsibilities as her, such as saving the world, being responsible for millions of lives, knowing that the deaths of some of the people she protected were inevitable… diary entries are never in short supply.  She always tries not to think about all the people that have died over the years from monster attacks by Rita, Lord Zedd, Divatox… Astronema… However, that is one downside to having a place that opens your mind so much- avoiding your innermost demons is unavoidable.  

            Today, though, Cassie wasn't thinking about death or carnage or even English exams.  Today, her mind was focused on an unlikely crush.  

Ever since Cassie had met TJ Johnson that fateful day on a bus ride that was just the beginning of a long journey together, she had found him attractive, not just physically but he also had a good personality.  Unfortunately, any chance of a romance between the two was squashed when Tommy Oliver and Katherine Hillard, the former red and pink turbo rangers, had bequeathed to them their powers and Cassie and TJ had become part of the next generation of Power Rangers.  Then, TJ was her leader and her comrade and a romance would have made things awkward for everyone.  So she had pushed her feelings aside for the good of the team.  Still, it always irked her that she couldn't tell him how she felt.  The stirring belly and increased heart rate she experienced every time she was near him was beginning to drive her up a wall.  

Lately Cassie had started thinking that perhaps something between the two of them may work, even though they were still power rangers.  After all, TJ was no longer their leader, Andros was.  And it was quite obvious that, although the shy Kerovian had trouble dealing with romance in general, his reservations seemed to have nothing to do with ranger status.  Based on the relationship reports that Ashley enjoyed discussing with her, Cassie was pretty certain that the yellow and red rangers were lovers.  Granted, Ashley never came right out and said that she and Andros were becoming that close; Ashley, despite her outspoken-ness, was never one to kiss and tell.  But she had hinted at it.  So why shouldn't Cassie tell TJ how she feels?

After about 2 hours of writing about her turbulent feelings for the blue ranger, Cassie finally closed the diary and placed it back into her bag.  She let her eyes wander around Angel Grove Park until they grew heavy and her head slumped against the support of the tree.  The pink ranger drifted into a peaceful slumber where her dreams centered around lazy days spent in the strong but soft arms of a certain lover.  She was unaware of a pair of green, glowing, crystalline eyes staring straight at her, or rather, straight through her bag and onto her most prized and protected possession, second only to her morpher.

The monster known as Ecliptor waited patiently in his hiding place behind a pagoda for the pink ranger to succumb totally to her exhaustion.  If she woke up, his queen's plan would be ruined.  And this plan was, by far, much too good and ingenious to be treated lightly.  By the time Astronema was through with the pink ranger, she would be shattered beyond repair.  When one ranger was down for the count, the others would be soon to follow and that would finally be the end of the Power Rangers!

"I wish you sweet dreams, ranger.  They'll be the last ones you ever have.  I can assure you, from this day forth, the rest of your life will be a living nightmare."

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A/N:  This is the second story I'm working on.  At the moment, I'm also working on "In Order", another Cassie story.  I know people have been anxious for me to update my first story, but I really wanted to get this one started before I lost the idea.  Hopefully, I'll have some free time this weekend to update both stories.  Please, R&R!  I love reviews!!


	2. pt 2

Introspective Reading pt.2

Thanks for the reviews... and to Questions, I'm sorry if it doesn't make sense to you, when I first posted it, I wasn't aware that when u twist a plot line to fit the story u should post "AU". Well, this is AU, but only a slight one. In this story Cassie didn't have any really deep feelings for Phantom. Sure she found him strong and romantic, in the way he liked to save her, but nothing serious. Afterall, the guy's a ghost! Anyway... as for the whole "why should she feel having a romance w/ the leader of the team would be awkward" question, keep in mind that she didn't know Tommy and Kat and Kim until very shortly she became a ranger, so there's no possible way she could've known of any romance, therefore she may think it's a taboo because she wouldn't know it had happened before. Remember the part, "well, if Andros doesn't seem to have a problem w/ dating a team member, then it's alright and she and TJ could become romantically involved as well"... That's what I was trying to get across... Until she sees someone else do it, she's nervous of causing tension onboard the ship...

Anyway, it makes sense to me... trust me, I'm not pulling this out of thin air... I just don't know how to better explain it to you.

Sorry for any confusion and I'm really REALLY sorry this took so long to update... it was senior yr and I had tests and photos and dances, then I moved, then I had no computer, then vacation, now im working full time... ill try to update more, I promise... plus I have another idea for a story, but ill try to finish this one, if not both first...

Okay, on w/ the story...

Keep in mind.... AU!

Part 2

Cassie was drifting through a sweet oblivion when she felt a slight tug on her shoulder. When she shifted, the tugging stopped and she forgot about it. Then she felt it again and the thought that someone was going through her bag punctured her reverie and she sat bolt up, ready to face whoever was going through her personal belongings. She was surprised when she found no one there. The park was almost black, and she realized that she had fallen asleep much longer than she had intended to. She stood up slowly but her legs still almost gave out from underneath of her, and she felt like someone stabbing thousands of pins and needles into her legs and arms. Well, she thought to herself, it's a good thing I just imagined it because I certainly wouldn't be able to defend myself against a pack of quantrons with my legs like jelly. But even as she was thinking it, she wondered if she had indeed imagined it. It felt so real... Letting down her defensive jelly-like stance, she slipped her hand into her messenger bag and felt for her diary and her wallet and let out a huge sigh of relief when she felt both were safe. Unfortunately, she couldn't see the diary. If she did, she would've noticed an unusual, red glow emitting from the jewels that encrusted it.

"CASSIE! WHERE ARE YOU? CASSIE!"

Cassie turned her head toward the familiar voice, thankful TJ had come looking for her. With it being so dark out, she guessed she was definitely very late for that movie she was planning on seeing w/ the other rangers. "TJ! I'm over here, by the old willow!" As they got closer, she could now hear the murmuring of the other rangers, not just TJ.

"Thank goodness!" came a voice she recognized as Ashley.

"I figured we'd find a statue again," laughed Carlos.

"I HEARD THAT!" Cassie hollered at him.

"A what?"

"Don't worry about it, Andros," Cassie said to him as they approached and she could see them now, "he's just thoroughly enjoying busting me."

Andros turned to Carlos, "You'll tell me that story later, I suppose?"

"Oh, of course," Carlos replied.

TJ laughed at them, then turned to Cassie and said, "Are you alright? We've been looking for you all over. The first movie is probably almost over but it's a double feature, we may still be able to catch the second."

"I'm fine, just give me a second, I can't move."

"She is a statue!" Carlos laughed.

"I'm not a statue, I fell asleep and the rest of me hasn't woken up yet," she said, playfully glaring at Carlos.

TJ tsked at her. "I'll just have to carry you then." After picking up the fighting form of the pretty pink ranger, TJ chuckled and said, "I can't believe we've been worried sick about you and you've been slumbering ever so peacefully underneath a weeping willow."

Cassie struggled (not too hard, might I say) but gave up quickily and enjoyed the walk to the Surf Spot in TJ's arms, the disturbed bag incident forgotten.

_**Astronema's Dark Fortress **_

Astronema stood in the command of the Dark Fortress, glaring at the view screen as she watched the disgusting scene between the rangers take place. They were so happy it made her sick. And the red ranger was acting just like those pathetic Earth rangers, she couldn't believe she was actually related to him. When I destroy him, I won't have to worry about any infectious happiness working it's way the up the gene pool. I'll incinerate any trace of the disgusting maggot that calls himself my brother. How embarrassing! This wasn't her normal line of thinking, though. The real Astronema, the real Karone, was screaming on the inside, wanting to be w/ Andros and the other rangers, and to be having fun and living a normal life w/ them. But Dark Spectre's little adjustments that he imposed on her made sure that THAT side Astronema, the good side, was eradicated. She unconsciously touched the metal implant on her forehead and winced.

Before she could come up w/ any more hateful thoughts directed at her brother, Ecliptor walked through the door. The fact that he wasn't growling and beating the life out of any quantron in sight indicated to her that the plan went off w/o a hitch.

"You retrieved the diary, I presume?"

"Of course, my Queen; I would never fail you." As Ecliptor spoke these words, the bumbling Elgar strolled through, looking confused as always. "Unlike some, who couldn't be trusted w/ the simplest of tasks," he continued, shooting a look that could kill at the coneheaded ex-pirate.

Ecliptor handed the precious book to Astronema and she opened it and read the innermost thoughts of the pink ranger eagerly.

Elgar scratched his head and said, "I don't get it. I thought Cassie still has the diary. It's in her ba-..."

Ecliptor hit Elgar in the chest, interrupting his sentence. "The pink ranger has an enchanted diary of our own creation, you idiot. We have the original."

"Ummm... but why?"

Astronema slammed the book shut, angry at having the annoying banter from Divatox's nephew interrupt her. "Because we've connected the diaries, we know exactly what's going on in her muddled brain. The duplicate is exact, she'll never know the difference."

"And the enchanted part?"

She heaved a sigh that obviously meant she was getting majorly ticked off. "As she divulges to the book that she possesses, everything she writes will be copied into the book that Ecliptor stole from her. That's where our shape-shifter comes in." On cue, the monster that the rangers thought they had destroyed when Astronema had used him to turn herself into an Ashley look-alike and sneak on board the Astromegaship. Ecliptor backed off slightly, remembering the punishment he received when he let the actual yellow ranger go when the shape-shifter changed her into Astronema. "Let's see... oooo, this recent entry looks delicious. Evidently the pink ranger has somewhat naughty fantasies involving the blue ranger. Shape-shifter!"

"Yes, my Queen, what do you request of me?"

"I want you to turn Ecliptor into the blue ranger," she said, and watched as the monster shifted Ecliptor's appearance into that of TJ Johnson. "TJ" grinned a particularly evil smile when he looked at his body and seen it had worked. "Ecliptor, or should I say, TJ," she drew out his name as far as you can draw out a two-letter name, "you know what you have to do."

"Yes, Astronema."

Elgar backed off into the shadows, keeping out of Astronema's way, but never leaving the command. This is gonna be VERY interesting... 

A/N: okay, I know the enchanted diary is so MMPR and enchanting an inanimate object something Rita would do, rather than Astronema, I don't think she ever uses spells... I'll try to explain that in a later chapter, perhaps, if I can think of something logical. If I can't then... I claim AU. Maybe she found a pretty book w/ a pentagram on it and decided to give it a whirl or something... anyway, R&R please! I love feedback, good and bad. And I promise I'll TRY to update this regularly, although I'm not making any guarantees. Work keeps me busy and after 8 hrs of toting heavy ice, popcorn seed and oil and scrubbing like a madwoman I'm too tired to do much of anything. But many reviews will keep me motivated cough HINT cough


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